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This Week in Congress Congress is undertaking an extensive legislative agenda amid elevated tensions in the weeks preceding year-end. A significant driver of this tension is the impending expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, with substantial disagreement between Republicans in both chambers regarding their extension. Senate Democrats intend to propose a three-year…

FY 26 Appropriations Risk With government funding expiring January 30, Congress must act soon to pass the remaining nine appropriations bills. The Senate aims to advance a package of five major spending bills but has stalled due to concerns from fiscal conservatives. The House wants to approve less-controversial bills but likely will not move forward…

Healthcare Impasse After last month’s shutdown, Senate Democrats debated health care subsidies. Instead of a bipartisan deal, the Senate will consider partisan proposals: Democrats want a three-year extension of ACA subsidies, while Republicans propose direct payments to health savings accounts. Neither plan is expected to pass the 60-vote threshold, and ongoing talks are unlikely to…

Final Year End Item: Defense Bill Congress faces one remaining major task before year’s end: passing the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Both the House and Senate have approved their respective versions of the bill, and negotiations are underway to reconcile differences. The Trump administration advocated for a disputed provision that would override state…

Congress Reclaims Some Power Members of Congress are intensifying their inquiries with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding recent U.S. strikes on a suspected drug trafficking vessel, seeking clarification on the legal justification for the operation. Committees from both chambers, representing bipartisan interests, have requested classified briefings and are considering proposals to strengthen reporting requirements for…

Congressional Stock Trading? Congress is revisiting the issue of stock trading by lawmakers, with several bipartisan bills proposed to restrict or ban Members of Congress and their families from owning stocks and other financial assets. Rep. Luna (R-FL) has filed a petition requiring 218 signatures to force a vote on her bill, though House Speaker…

Congress and College Sports House Republicans are advancing the SCORE Act, a bill regulating college athlete compensation for name, image, and likeness (NIL). The legislation would prevent student-athletes from being classified as employees and grant antitrust exemptions to sports officials. Most House Democrats oppose the bill, citing insufficient student protections and excessive NCAA authority, and…

December Supreme Court Docket The Supreme Court is set to consider several important cases, including one about the Trump administration’s actions to reshape independent agencies and another regarding campaign finance rules. One case focuses on President Trump’s attempt to dismiss a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) member, challenging a 1935 ruling that requires the president to…

Special Election Signals Matt Van Epps (R) won Tennessee’s special election by nine points, down from Trump’s 22-point margin in 2024. Despite a Republican ad campaign, Democrats closed the gap by 13 points with high turnout. If this trend continues across similar districts, Democrats may have a chance to win the House next year. While…

This Week in Congress Congress returns this week for three weeks of legislative work before recessing for the holidays on December 18th. Members of Congress have packed agendas, mirroring their holiday tables, as they return to Washington. They are striving to prevent an affordability crisis with impending spikes in health insurance premiums for millions of…